St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-08-16
THE NEW CRUISERS.
How the Contracts Were Let for
Their Construction.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15.-The presi-
dent to-day, in response to commune
cation from the secretary explaining
the result of the bidding for the con-
struction of Cruisers Nos. and 5, di-'
reeted the secretary to give the contract
for one of the ships to the Union IRON
works of San Francisco. The contracts,l
the secretary explained, were bid for by
two responsible firms. Bids were per-
mitted to be made in three ways: &
First-The department plans of hull and
machinery.
Second-The bidders plans of hull and ma
chinery
The departments plan of hull and the bid
der's plan of machinery.
The secretary recommended that one
ship be built upon the departments
plan, which the Union iron works
offered to construct for 81 ,42S, 900, and
Cramp d Sons for $1,41S,0C0, and that
the other ones to be built upon the
bidders plans of hull and machinery.
The bid of Cramp d Sons for 81, ,350,0 900
to be accepted. This left it under the
statutes for the president to decide,
which of the bids for the vessel to be-,
built under the department plan should
be accepted. In deciding the matter
the president, i'll his letter to the Secre-
tary, says:
Under the provisions of the act authorizsi
ing the construction of the ships herein rel
ferred TO, which act requires tlslt one OF saiG'
ships should be built on the coast of the,
Pacific ocean or the waters connected there-i
with, unless the same cannot be constructed
at fair cost, and that the bid of the Union
iron works, of San Francisco, being within'
$4,000 of the lowest bid for the,
ship, to be constructed according to-
the. the plans Of the nayy nEyo depart.'
1nraf hon, 4b<1
Pacific coast of the cost of necessary trans-
portation of material and the bid by said
company not appearing to be in excess of the;
fair cost of said ship, do hereby, pursuant
to said statute and in accordance with the
manifest intention of congress III the prem-
ises, authorize and direct that the contract
for the construction of the ship within
named, to be built according to the plans of
the navy department, be given TO the Union
Iron works, of san Francisco"
THIS SETTLES THE I1ATTER
definitely. The iron works will get the
contract for building one vessel for
81, ,42S, 900 and William Cramp gets the
other for 81, ,350, 900. Cruiser No. l, the
Newark, is awarded to Cramp & Sons
under their bid of 81, ,24S,O0O. Gunboats
N. F. Palmer, Jr., & Co., Of
contracts for the construction of the
new timber dry docks have been
awarded to j. E. Simpson & Co, of
New York-one to be built at New
York and the other at Norfolk, Va.
Bids for material to complete the Main-
tonOmah will be opened on the 10th Of
September. The chief constructor, in,
obedience to the departments orders,
has already given orders to the COM
mandant of the New York navy yard to
proceed with the work as fast as possi-
BILE with the materials Oh hand. and inn
mediately upon the receipt of the ma
terialS advertised for to proceed with
the completion of the ship with all pos
sible dispatch. Secretary Whitney has
directed that under the act to increase
the navy establishment providing
that sum not exceeding S150,000 may
be expended under the direction of the
secretary of the navy in improving the
plant of such of the navy yards as he
may select, the sum of $4,000 be eX-
pended for tools and plant for the New
York navy yard, and that 5000 be ex-
pended upon the Norfolk navy yard.
Chief Constructor Nelson leaves WASH
ingtOn upon orders from the depart
ment to make an inspection of the
Portsmouth, n. H., navy yard, and will
then proceed to San Francisco to in
spect the Union iron works. Secretary
Whitney left Washington OH the
O'Clock train this morning from New
York. He will be absent from the navy
department perhaps month, as he in
tends taking his vacation at this time.